Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-08-04
PHYSICAL ssLF.conTRoL
its Possession the Result Of Education
and Coed Breeding.

V6ISIO0e SGIeeVON NIL
its Possession the Result Of Education
and Good Breeding.
1t is not possible to sit in an assem-
blage of people and not be impressed
with the lack of physical self-coutrol
manifested. No matter how eloquent
the speaker. how enhancing the music.
for but few minutes at time are they
able to control perfect silence on the
part of the audience; constantly are
there useless and unnecessary move
ments. revealing the aimless, unframed
mind. For, were the mind held, the
body would be unrecognized and held
by the grip of its power. 1t is the dual
life that causes the constant movement,
change of position, arrangement of
clothing, movement of hands and feet
all showing that the mind has not
sovereignty Of the body because it has
not been trained to that sovereignty,
or the body to yielding to the higher
power.
Perhaps onc-if not the one-annoy-
ance to speakers and hearers is the
endless coughing, hacking. clearing of
the throat, that is one of the evidences
of lack of control physically. The least
self-reStraint on the part Of each in
tividual would reduce the volume of
sound enormously. The constant
gratifying of an impulse acquired, not
innate, the result of nervousness that
grows by what it is fed On, is an evil
dcnce of unframed intellect. The eff
feet Of gratifying this needless impulse
by fifty or sixty persons at the same
time. in the same place, IS out Of all
proportion 10 the individual effort. If
fraction of the effort made in crafty
ing the impulse were made in restrain
ing it, great good would result to
health and comfort.
We have associated the idea of self
control with the moral and mental
nature, ignoring its immense infin-
ence in the development OF Tho
physical. and its reflex action OF the
higher powers through the physical
The woman who can not occupy
rocking-chair without keeping it in
constant motion is the woman who
can not meet the everyday aniIoy-
ances with self-pOised calmness.
Trifles distress her; and she excuses
herself for displays of irritation be-
cause of nervousness, when it was
nothing but lack Of self-control. The
mantle of charity is much enlarged BY
this modern fringe we call nervous
ness. II must do something: l can
not sit with idle hands," is not the ex-
preston of normal industry. but the
expression of abnormal activity. It's
the physical Martha instead of mental
Mary that has gained control. Martha
would serve herself and the world bet
ter if she recognized the moments
when to sit still meant the learning of
a lesson that would reveal true serv-
ing.
One night . boy of sixteen sat
In AN audience apparently listening
to the addresses being delivered. He
hung bis hat on his umbrella. and, put
ting has finger in the lOOsely-hanging
silk, saayed the hat back and forth for
nearly one half hour. To do this he
was forced to make a motion Of the
right asmn from the shoulder. Think
of the wasted strength! A pale. thin
youth. who needed every bit of
strengths and vitality in his body to
make legitimate effort to accomplish
any purpose The movement simply
revealed THE empty, unused mind.
Restless. aiin1ess wandering about. or
purpOseless movements should be edit
Gated out of n child. All are the result
of purposeless mind.
Physical pestlessness can be over
come in am adult who will once &C.
knowledge the tremendous waste. of
energy. vitality and force in useless,
purposelcss movements. Compel your
self to sit still in comfortable posi-
ton that pays all attention to conyen--
tionalities'- Do not give to restlessness
which is>the result of mental acaivity.
and to- abnormal physical activity,
which results from the mental; bar
renness AMI irritability, the name of
nervousness. and hug the delusion to
the soul thnS nervousness is an evidence
of ''highix-strung nature'-to. use a
much-sbused term. Physical self-con.-
troll is the result of education and good
breedings. and its possession is,as neees--
sary to, sound health as mental self
control 10 sound morals. Christian
UniOs&.